(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to treatment of finely divided materials.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Prior devices have utilized furnace apparatus for sintering and fusing the finely divided metalliferous materials. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 1,964,915 to A. B. Haswell of July 3, 1934, U.S. Pat. No. 2,412,057 to C. W. Nichols of Dec. 3, 1946, U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,860 to Fukuda et al of Sept. 10, 1974 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,446 to Grill of Nov. 2, 1976.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,412,057 a furnace construction is disclosed having two chambers wherein hot gases generated in the lower chamber flow upward through the material to be cleaned.
The present invention utilizes a cyclonic scrubbing action within a single chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,964,915 shows a sintering and fusing apparatus for finely divided materials wherein the material flows in under air pressure and the exhaust gases are vented through the bottom of the furnace.
In the present invention the material to be treated is delivered above tangentially mounted high velocity burners which are vented through a lower centrally mounted stack thereby inhancing the cyclonic action.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,860 discloses a heating device wherein pulverized material to be treated is injected into the air stream of the supply air duct in a horizontal combustion chamber.
In the present invention the material is dropped directly into the paths of high velocity burners within a single vertically standing chamber.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,446 an aqueous solution of magnesium chloride is sprayed into a kiln chamber below the exhaust vent. Some untreated material is carried out through the exhaust and reintroduced at a lower point within the chamber.
In the present invention the vent location, burner velocity and chamber design prevents any treated or untreated material from being moved outwardly of the vent.